NIKUJAGA
Potatoes are very popular in Western countries. They are baked in England, fried with steak in the States, boiled in France, and even mixed into an omelet in Spain. Originally from the Andes, potatoes were imported into Japan in the 17th century via Jakarta, from which originated the Japanese word jagaimo: that is, Jaka(rta) plus imo (a root vegetable).
Interestingly enough, one of the most popular Japanese home-cooked meals is nikujaga prepared with meat (niku) and potatoes (jagaimo). At first it certainly does not seem like a typical Japanese dish, since both meat and potatoes are not traditional ingredients.
Still, it is one of Japanese people's favorite dishes, because it is said to remind them of their mother's simple and tasty cooking (ofukuro no aji). It is even considered important for a young Japanese girl to know how to cook a delicious nikujaga - otherwise she may disappoint her fianc?. This shows how popular the dish is, especially for Japanese men!
Potatoes contain lots of vitamin C, which they retain well even when cooked. They also contain lots of potassium and are sometimes dubbed "the king of potassium". Eating potatoes is good for stabilizing your internal salt balance, which in turn helps prevent high blood pressure.
In France you can find potatoes in any local market. I usually go to a famous Tuesday market in Challans (western France), which is always crowded with gourmets.
Making nikujaga is quite simple if you have some Japanese sauce and soup stock. You can usually find these in most large supermarkets. Nikujaga should always be accompanied by a bowl of rice. The rice will help embrace the taste of sweet soy sauce in your mouth.
To share a secret: I love eating nikujaga after watching the sun set on the beach at St-Gilles Croix-de-Vie in France. It warms me up and also reminds me of my mother's loving care.

Written by Yuko Tamaki-Welply
A member of TranNet and freelance translator based in France

HOW TO MAKE NIKUJAGA
♦ INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
T = tablespoon; c = cup
200g Beef or pork (thinly sliced)
500g Potatoes
1 Onion
1T Chives
2T Sunflower oil
2T Sugar
2T Soy Sauce
2T Sweet sake (mirin)
2c Japanese fish soup stock

♦ How to make
1. Slice the meat into 3- to 4-cm-wide pieces.
2. Cut the potatoes into bite-size chunks.
3. Thinly slice the onions.
4. Heat the pan and add the sunflower oil. Once the oil is heated, stir-fry the meat first.
5. Brown the meat and then add and stir-fry the onions and potatoes.
6. When the surface of the potatoes gets slightly transparent, add the soup stock.
7. Wait until the soup comes to the boil and then cover the pan with a lid for a while.
8. Add 2 T each of sugar, sweet sake, and soy sauce, and then cook until the potatoes become soft.
9. Serve hot, sprinkled with chopped chives.